a trip south of the border (part 1)

Several weeks ago, I was invited to join a group of travel writers in Rosarito, Baja for a weekend of adventure. Because our schedule was a jam-packed one, I won’t be able to fit everything into one post, but instead, I will space everything out into several stories.

Seeing how Rosarito is a seaside town and we all had an ocean view at the Rosarito Beach Hotel — I thought it apropos to begin with our sea-to-table experience .

We were brought to the village of Popotla, easily missed if you’re driving from Rosarito to Ensenada even though it is only about 10 minutes away from the hotel we were staying at. The restaurant we stopped at was Popotla Restaurant Bar, hidden within the Popotla Mobile Home Park (click here for directions). Our table afforded us a glorious view of the ocean as we sat down to some drinks, including this refreshing cucumber lime concoction I chose instead of an alcoholic libation.

A platter of ceviche arrives and we are in awe of its presentation and just the abundance of it all. Seafood is in abundance here and it is not unusual to feast on a myriad of them in one sitting. There is octopus, shrimp, a white fish of some sort, and my absolute favorite, chocolate clam!

Our second course comes in the form of a bisque. There are bits of chocolate clam dotted in the flavorful bisque. I enjoy this very much.

We end this meal with plate of grilled seafood. Included are lobster, shrimp, white fish, octopus, and chocolate clam baked in its shell.

Hours later, we are in Puerto Nuevo, a community located in Rosarito Beach municipality and is known as the “Lobster Village” of Baja California. This of course meant more lobster was in order. We descended upon La Casa del Pescador after dark, which is unfortunate because I was told the view is stunning. The restaurant’s name means “the fisherman’s house”, and as we are serenaded by a trio of mariachis, some guacamole and crab ceviche comes to the table for us to dip our crispy tortilla chips with.

Soon, a massive of fried lobster halves arrive. I inquired about the lobsters and am told that they range between $22 and $35 depending on size. The crustacean possessed a nice flavor, but our small lobsters were a tad overcooked. I suggest ordering larger lobsters if you want them prepared this way.

I’m not sure how the other lobster on the table was cooked, however, it was succulent and tender. It’s so good on its own, or, there is drawn butter provided if you want to take a dip.

We were so stuffed at the end of the meal there was no room for more. However, here’s a secret…. pop next door (it’s the store to the right as you exit) and ask for the almond tequila the guy has. He will share a few shots with you and you can continue drinking it back at the hotel. It not only acts as a digestif, but is so smooth going down.

Wait for my next installment, where we will be experience a farm-to-table adventure unlike the ones you’ve probably experienced here.

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About Me

This blog is a journal of mostly my eating adventures, but also, other things I'm passionate about, including travel, the arts, and also, necessities to complete my life. Centered predominantly in and around Orange County, CA, some will extend to Los Angeles, San Diego and beyond. I am constantly searching for delicious food to eat and fun things to do, nothing is out of bounds. Sometimes it doesn't end well, but I can definitely say, it will always be an interesting journey.